The present invention relates to optical processors and, more particularly, to an optical processor for processing optical energy in optical logical devices and optical devices for the amplification, commutation, switching, and computing of optical signals. The present invention is particularly advantageous in applications involving optical waveguide communication, data transmission systems, and computer circuits including arithmetic/logic units.
A known optical processor device, termed the "transphasor", is based upon the non-linear Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI). As described in Tooley F. A. P., Smith S. D., Seaton C. T. "High Gain Signal Amplification in an InSb Transfasor at 77K" Appl. Phys. Lett., vol. 43, No. 9, pp. 807-809, November 1983, the Fabry-Perot interferometer utilized by Tooley et al. is an optical non-linear phase modulator using semiconductor InSb (indium/antimony) material with the resonant cavity bounded by mirrors. Using the known optical non-linearity of the InSb material, a "light-by-light" amplification effect was obtained by introducing a powerful pumping beam and a weak data-carrying beam into the InSb semiconductor crystal. As a result, modulation of one beam by the other and amplification of the data-carrying optical signal (OS) up to 40 dB was obtained. The transphasor has the advantages of small size (200 .mu.m in diameter and 600 .mu.m in length), a high non-linearity factor, and high amplification. The drawbacks of the transphasor include the need for an external or outer pumping source, a single input and a single channel, complicated input/output beams due to the structural peculiarities of the device, and the necessity for complete frequency coincidence of the Fabry-Perot interferometer and the input optical signal. Because of these drawbacks, the use of the transfasor is limited by laboratory conditions.
The optical device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,001,523 issued on Mar. 19, 1991 to Lomashevich S., Bystrov J., and Semenova, G. and entitled "Optical Transistor" is closest in its technical nature to the present invention; the disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 5,001,523 is incorporated herein by reference. The optical transistor disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,001,523 allows the commutation and amplification of optical signals as well as the selection of different-frequency radiations by channels. The optical transistor advantageously possess a high amplification factor, the potential for commutation or switching of the optical signals, a small size, and a high Q-factor for the ring resonator (RR). The drawbacks include limited channel accessibility, a low sensitivity level for the input channels, and the lack of a multi-level system for the processing of optical signals, i.e., a lack of storage and logic capability. Additional disclosure as to the characteristics of ring resonators of the type utilized in the optical transistor disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,001,523 can be found in Marcatili E. A. J., "Bends in Optical Dielectric Guides" The Bell System Technical Journal, 1969, vol. 48, No. 7, pp. 2103-2132 and Woller L., "Important Components of Optical Logical Circuits" Elecktronika, 1982, No. 26, pp. 3-4.